I don't own Maximum Ride nor Sonic. All rights reserved for those who do.
Iggy lands on the ground in my front yard, still holding onto me.
"We're here. You can put me down," I say, trying not to read too much into this situation.
He drops me like I'm a snake and I fall hard. I look up into his face to see him smiling to himself.
"You could've warned me, or you know set me on the ground like a normal person."
"Oh…Skyler, right?"
"Yeah…"
"You of all people should know there's nothing normal about us."
I stand up, dust my backside off, and turn to face the other way. "Touché."
We walk up the drive way and they start to turn towards the front door while I keep going until I'm at the garage. I'm too young to have a house key.
"Where'd she go?" Nudge whispers, an edge of fear in her voice.
I'm out of sight because a big dogwood tree hides the garage from where they're standing.
"She's over by the garage," Max says, walking towards me. She meets me by the garage door and I stand beside our opener that requires a code.
"Sorry, I don't have a key to the front door," I say after they are all beside me. "My parents say I'm too young to carry one and I'll lose it." I roll my eyes and turn towards the opener, typing in the code.
We walk into the garage and I lead them through the door that connects to the laundry room.
"Excuse the mess," I say just as my mom always does when she shows the house to her friends.
"Where are your parents?" Max asks, following right behind me. I can tell she's taking everything in and making a mental map just in case trouble shows.
"Auction. I think they're in Florida. I would be staying at my grandparents' house but they went with my parents," I say, leading them out the laundry room and into the kitchen.
"Who's watching you?"
"My stupid cousin."
"What's her name?" Fang asks. He rarely talks but I should be used to that by now. I have read the books.
"Melissa. She makes everyone call her Lissa though, or Lissy."
I look over at Max. She's glaring at the sink but then composes her face and looks back at me.
I wonder what part in the books have they not done?
"You wanted to see the books? They're upstairs."
I lead them to the stairs and we walk up to my room. They're all a little jumpy but other than that they put on an illusion of ease.
"This way."
I lead them into my brother's room. They look around and keep close to Max the whole time we're in there. It almost makes me sad, remembering how in some of the books they split.
"Here. Is the first three books. We'll have to go into my room for the others."
"Thanks," Max says taking the books from my brothers room as I head into my own.
I leave them and cross the hallway to my room. When I come back they're all flying in the air with fists up.
"Whoa!" I say, backing up. I nearly drop all of the books I'm holding.
"It's just Skyler guys," Max says, relief evident on her face.
"I didn't mean to make you guys jumpy."
"It's okay."
"Let's go into the living room. There's more room there anyhow."
"Okay!" Nudge and Angel say excitedly. They must've accepted me somehow.
They all run down the stairs. I have to quickly follow or else I'll be the one who's left behind.
My footsteps are rushed and I'm focusing more on keeping all of the book in my arms rather than the steps. I slip and fall onto Iggy, making him fall to the ground. The books scatter all around us and I hurry to retrieve them.
"You just can't keep off of me, can you?" he says, raising his eyebrows. He turns to the sound of my shuffling and I nearly drop the books again.
"Sorry, I guess I just keep falling today," I say, trying to keep my cool.
We meet everyone back up in the living room. All of them are sitting on the furniture or the floor.
"Okay back to business. Let's look in these books," Max says, dead serious now.
Max passes out the first one to Gazzy and Angel. Iggy and Nudge got the third book. She hands the fourth one to Fang. Which leaves her with the second one. I grab the fifth book and try to concentrate.
After a few minutes Max turns bright pink and she's usually not one to blush…
I walk over to her and begin reading over her shoulder. It's the part Fang and her kissed. She quickly shuts the book before anyone else can read it and turns to me.
"How many kissing scenes does he have down?" she asks low enough so only I can hear.
"I'm not sure. He's still writing the story down. You guys aren't finished yet."
"What do you mean not finished yet?" Iggy asks, his face twisting into a suspicious expression.
I open my mouth to answer him but right at that moment a sound comes from the laundry room.
"Shh!" I whisper to them before they can unfurl their wings and put up their fists for a fight.
Max and her Flock get closer and stand up. I signal for them to quit moving. If they keep making noise I'm sure whoever is in here will soon hear us.
"Sky! Skyler! If you're here then you better get your sorry butt moving to school! Now!" Melissa yells from the kitchen.
She starts moving towards the dinning room. I signal for the Flock to move to the stairs.
"Sky? Don't you run from me!"
"Come on!" I whisper leading them into the entrée way then the kitchen.
I open the door that leads to the basement. It creaks and we all freeze as Melissa starts running towards us now. She still hasn't seen us yet.
Max grabs Angel and Gazzy moving in front of me and down the steps. Fang holds all of the books and is following Max. Nudge right on his tail.
I couldn't move. Fear keeps me frozen. Iggy senses me still beside him and grabs my hand, shutting the basement door behind us. He takes me by the waist and jumps down, his feet colliding with the last step, making us fall.
If he could've seen we would've made it.
Iggy lets me go and I grab his arm pulling him with me while we run to Max. We meet up with them just in time.
Melissa swings the door open and starts running down the steps.
"Hide!" I mouth, scanning the area for a place to duck under. I was never good at hide and seek.
Angel and Gazzy jump into a pile of pillows and blankets, stashed there for bad weather.
Max and Fang launch into a pile of stuffed animals and clothes. Nudge runs under a card table with a blanket over it so she's hidden. I pull Iggy under the pool table with me. Boxes surround the pool table from the front so we're well hidden.
Melissa trips over her feet and falls the rest of the way down the steps. Best part, though, the steps aren't carpeted. She pulls herself up, rubbing her leg.
"Sky, if you're down here tell me now! I won't hurt you! I won't even tell your parents you skipped school. That's right, I saw your wet binder in the laundry room. Show yourself!"
No way am I getting out of here alive.
"Alright! I'm calling your parents right now!"
Should I go? I think towards Angel, hoping desperately that she'll hear me.
Yeah but be careful. Don't let Iggy be seen. Angel thinks back.
Alright. Here I go.
I start to crawl out from under the pool table but Iggy catches my leg and pulls me back.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hisses, his eyes are wide and I feel almost like I'm betraying them instead of helping them.
"Saving you!"
"I hear you Sky!" Melissa screams, moving closer and closer.
I grab clothes from inside a box, that's surrounding us, and shove them towards Iggy so he's out of Melissa's sight even more than me.
She peeks under the pool table and sees me. Luckily Iggy freezes so he just looks like a pile of clothes. Melissa grabs my arms and pulls me out from under the table. This time Iggy doesn't try to stop me.
"Why are you hiding from me? No, more importantly, why aren't you at school? Your parents will hear about this."
"I missed the bus," I say weakly. Her grip on my arms tighten almost making my hands go numb.
"Why's your binder wet?"
"Fell into a puddle while I was running to catch the bus." A complete lie, I don't ever ride the bus. I always walk.
"I am sick and tired of your lies, Skyler!"
She pulls me up the stairs and slams the door shut behind us.
She drags me into the living room and shoves me onto the couch. I fall back against the cushions and watch her like a hawk.
"What are you trying to skip school?" she shouts, her voice annoying with its high pitch shriek.
"Lissa, I missed the bus!"
"Quit lying! Now tell the truth! Now!"
"Lissa, I-"
Melissa holds her hand up to slap me. She's about to hit me hard when we hear a shatter of glass.
"What was that?" she asks pulling me up from my collar on my shirt. I hear the fabric rip a little and try not to look worried.
"I'm up here how should I know?"
"Shut up!"
She drags me into the kitchen and the dinning room until we end back into the living room. There's no way she'll let me out of her sight now.
"You didn't sneak people in here, did you?" she asks, totally mad now.
"No, that would be stupid! How could I sneak people in here when I can't even sneak past you myself? You're much too smart for me to fool." Maybe complimenting her will distract her from the broken glass.
She raises her hand to hit me again. This time she gets interrupted with the door bell and a knock.
"Who's that?"
"Well, how should I know? We haven't opened the door yet!" I yell at her. I'm losing my patience.
She pushes me into the doorway now. I grab the knob and open it with her right behind me. She keeps a firm grip on my shoulder so I'm not able to run.
Max is standing outside holding my old backpack on her shoulder. I haven't used that bag since kindergarten.
"Ready, Sky?" she asks, cocking her head to look at Melissa. Her eyes turn darker but only slightly.
"Uh… yeah."
"Where do you think you're going?" Melissa asks, glaring at Max.
"School. Sky called me… she missed the bus and since I was on my way I thought I could pick her up."
"Who are you? How old are you?"
"I'm fifteen but my brother's driving."
"Who are you?" she asks again.
Max looks to me for help.
"That's Kate. You know Kate. She's our neighbor," I say, looking back at Melissa. She's met Kate once and hopefully she doesn't remember her because Max and Kate are two opposites.
"Last name?"
"Ride," Max says before I can answer.
"I don't remember any Rides living here," Melissa says, beginning to shut the door.
Max sticks her foot out so the door catches. She waves her hand behind her as some signal. The next thing we hear is a car's horn beating ferociously. Max gives another signal and the noise stops.
"Sky, we have to go. Come on school is going to start!" she says faking the panic look on her face.
"Melissa, I have to go to school. Let me go."
"Fine. Go, but be prepared to pay when you get back. Your parents will know about this."
"Okay," I say, trotting out the door.
"Oh, don't forget your binder."
Melissa throws the binder hard so it punches into my stomach and makes me fall. Max catches me in the last instant and helps me stand upright.
Melissa then slams the door shut.
Max and I run off the porch and towards the neighbor's house. She turns to the new car in the yard, opening the door and getting in. I pause, unsure about this whole thing.
"Are you stealing this car?" I ask, sliding in.
She throws my old backpack in the back and puts the car in drive.
"Well this is all I could find in a short amount of time."
"You're stealing Christy's new car! She got it for her birthday!"
"Okay, so you drive."
She quickly gets out of the car and opens my door.
"You gonna drive?" she asks, giving me an exasperated look.
I get out the car and race to the driver's seat. We almost did a Chinese fire drill.
"Everyone buckle up," Max says, looking behind her now.
"No problem," Iggy says.
"Show time!" I say, backing out of the their drive way.
Christy runs out of the garage and notices me taking it. She starts screaming and yelling then runs to the car.
"Gas it!" Max screams, looking out her window and at my screaming neighbor.
I slam my foot down and we fly down the street. Last thing I see is Christy marching across my yard and banging on the door.
Oh man, I'm dead meat. Melissa will never let me see the light of day again.
"Where are we headed?" I ask still pushing on the gas.
"Sonic," Nudge shouts before Max can answer.
"Okay."
I slow down and turn so I can seem like I'm actually a licensed driver.
"Stop!" Gazzy yells, his eyes wide.
I immediately slam on the brake, making everyone hit the seat in front of them. I turn around to look at Gazzy and everyone else does the same.
"Open the door!" he yells.
Without hesitation Iggy shoves the door open and Gazzy climbs over him to get out of the car.
"What's wrong?" I ask, looking at Max.
"I think he has to-"
"Okay I'm better," Gazzy says, climbing back in the car.
"Dang, Gaz! It's following you!" Iggy yells, plugging his nose.
"Hey, at least I did it outside the car!"
"Man! Who fed him beans?" Nudge shouts over Gazzy's laughter.
"Turn the AC on!" Fang shouts, his face turning a little green.
Max reaches over and turns the air on full blast.
Everyone but Gazzy leans in to get fresh air.
"Roll your windows down," I say to them.
Fang and Iggy immediately roll them down and stick their heads out. I laugh at their expressions and continue to drive towards our destination.
"There's Sonic!" Nudge says, pointing.
I turn in fast enough to reach the drive in. It earns me some honks and a very rude hand gesture.
I look out my window to find a familiar looking car outside.
"Guys, I think a someone is following us."
"Stay in the drive in," Max says, looking out her mirror.
"Fang, Iggy, roll the windows up. Gaz, cork it," she orders, taking charge like the leader she was born to be.
"Crap!"
"What is it!"
"That's Mr. Wilson. He works with my mom! I think he's talking to her right now! Dang it! Man I'm in for it now!"
"Relax. Maybe he's talking to his wife," Iggy says, earning himself some looks that are lost on him since he can't see.
"His face is purple because he's mad. I am not sure if that's his wife…"
I pull up to the window and order for everyone.
"Anybody got money?" I ask, turning to them.
"Uh…" they say together.
"Do you have the bank card?"
"Will it work here?" Fang asks, his eyebrows lowering.
"Look in the consol and look under the chairs to see if there is money," Max says.
"I found five dollars!" Nudge shouts, handing the cash up to the front.
"Thanks, Nudge, I lost five dollars!" Gazzy says, trying to grab it.
Nudge hands me the money and we continue to look.
"Found a twenty!" Max says giving me the money.
"Okay, $25 should be well enough."
I go to the second window and hand them the money.
"Aren't you a little young to be driving?" the boy, high school dropout, asks handing me some drinks.
"No, I'm sixteen. It's just I'm short. Do you have something against short people?" I say, looking at him. Daring him to question me further.
"Isn't this Christy's new car?"
"Who?" I ask.
"You'll forget we ever came here! You've never seen us here. Right now you're going to ask your boss for a raise," Angel says, staring into the boy's eyes.
The boy's expression changes to blank and he turns around.
I drive out of the drive in quickly. Glad to be out of there.
"The park!" Nudge squeals, grinning from ear to ear.
"Alright, only on one condition. No one can see us!" Max says.
"Okay so an empty park," I say. "Should be easy with everyone at work now."
"How about one that's surrounded by trees?" Iggy asks, finishing his drink.
"That'd be good," Max says.
"Alright, one surrounded by trees. Got it."
Hey Hey Hey! Thanks for reading. I know its kinda slow but it'll pick up soon, I promise. So please stick around and review!
Ciao for now
Kenna92005